Molding machine



May l1, 1937. J. A, RATHBONE MOLDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Shea?I 1 /NI/.ENTOR JOHN A RATH BONE A TTORNEYS J. A. RATHBONE May 11, 1937.

MOLDING MACHINE Filed Deo. 24. 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FI,G.3.

FIG.5.

FIGA.

CTI

Patented May l1, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The invention relates to4 machines of that type comprising an upper and lower head and a ram carried by one of said heads the impact of which is received by the other head. Such machines are used for Various purposes such as the forming of sand molds for forging machines, etc., but I shall specifically describe my invention as applied to sand molding machines. One type of such sand molding machines is that used for forming multiple or stacked molds, where each mold section forms both cope and drag. In such machines, the cope pattern faces upward and is carried by a movable ram. The drag pattern faces downward and is mounted on an upper head above the ram and the sand carrying flask. Thus, when the ram is moved upward carrying with it the sand filled flask, the sand will be compacted around the drag pattern by its own inertia.

In the construction of such machines, it is very essential that the cope and drag patterns be exactly aligned as otherwise the cope and drag cavities of the successive mold sections would not properly register. It is also necessary that the meeting faces of the successive mold sections should be exactly parallel so that when stacked there will be no stresses tending to break the same. This necessitates a fairly rigid structure in the upper head so as to avoidany bending of the same under ramming pressure. On the other hand, it is desirable after the ramrning has been effected to move this upper head out of the way, or otherwise provide suflcient clearance for the workman when he is disengaging the flask and inserting a new sand filled ask for a succeeding operation. In one type of structure, this rigidity is secured by relatively large and heavy columns on opposite sides of the machine which support the upper head, these columns being spaced a sufcient distance from the sides of the flask to give clearance for the manipulation thereof. The top head must also be of heavy construction to impart thereto the rigidity required. In other types of construction the top head is held in position by swinging links which after the ramming operation may be turned to the rear so as to remove the head from obstructing the workman. However, such construction is not as rigid as is desirable.

It is the object of the present invention to obtain a construction of molding machine in which the upper head is very rigidly secured in position during the ramming operation, but at the same time a construction which permits of the use of relatively light structural members and which after the ramming operation permits of swinging the head to a position giving abundant clearance for the work. With this object in view, the invention consists in the construction as hereinafter set forth.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sectional front elevation of my improved machine;

Figure 2 is an end elevation thereof, showing in dotted lines the position to whichthe ramming head can be swung to clear the work;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modification;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modied construction.

The general structure of my improved machine is similar to constructions heretofore used insofar as it includes a base A supporting the pneumatic cylinder B, a piston C in said cylinder, a

head D at the upper end of said piston forming a support for the cope pattern E, flask F, and sand frame G. There is also an upper head H carrying the drag pattern I and guides between said head and the head D which hold the patterns in exact registration during the ramming operation.

Instead of mounting the head H upon side co1- uinns or connecting the same to the base by a single pair of swinging links on opposite sides thereof, I form a connection between the base and head H formed of crossing links pivotally connected to the respective members at their opposite ends. Thus, as shown in Figure 2, links J and J are pivotally secured at their lower ends to shafts K and K which are secured to the base A in a series of aligned bearings A' respectively at the front and the rear of said base. The upper ends of these links are pivotally connected to shafts L and L similarly arranged at front and rear of the head H and connected thereto by a series of aligned bearings H. As the links J and J are swung to the rear after the ramming operation the pairs of links on opposite sides can be arranged fairly close to the ends of the flask so that the span at the upper end is very much less than with constructions using side columns necessarily spaced a considerable distance from the flask. A further advantage of the construction is that when the links are swung rearward they not only remove the head H laterally, but also swing it about a horizontal axis so that it is changed from a horizontal to a vertical plane. This increases the clearance above the ram without using as much space in rear thereof as is required with a construction having the head rigid with the links and perpendicular thereto. If desired, however, the links may be swung further to the rear into a horizontal position which will reverse the drag pattern bringing it to the top instead of the bottom of the head.

To hold the patterns in alignment during the ramming operation guides are provided. These preferably consist in downwardly projecting pins M secured to outwardly extending arms N on the head H and apertured guide bearings O which are connected by arms P to the head D. These arms P are arranged so as to be in front of the crossing links and to provide clearance from said links during upward movement of the ram. The pins M will be held in substantial alignment with the bearings O by gravity inasmuch as the swinging of the links either to the front or to the rear will raise the center of gravity of the head which therefore tends to move towards the central neutral position. However, exact registration is obtained when the pins are fully engaged with the bearings which hold the patterns in exactly predetermined relative position.

As shown in Figure 2, the links J and J are exactly the same in length from the pivots at the lower and upper ends thereof and the spacing of these pivots is the same at top and bottom. I may, however, use a modied construction, such as shown in Figure 4 where the links J2 are longer than the links J3 and are pivotally attached to the base at a lower point. This modified construction will cause the bearings for the links J3 to form a stop for the swinging of the links J2 when the head H and drag pattern are in vertical position. However, the same result can be obtained with the construction previously described by placing stops at suitable locations for limiting the swinging of the links.

In the modied construction shown in Figure 5 instead of having a pair of obliquely crossing links on each of the opposite sides of the machine, the head D is connected to the base A by a single pair of obliquely extending links J2 and J3 on opposite ends thereof. The link J2 is connected to the base and head at one end thereof and the link J3 is connected to these members at the opposite end. Such construction is not as desirable as the construction previously described, but may be used for certain purposes.

When the obliquely crossing links are swung rearward the first part of the movement will raise the center of gravity as previously described, after which the center of gravity will be lowered. Also, during this movement the links J- are swinging from an inclined position towards the vertical, while the links J are swinging downward. Both of these links are thus moved with a minimum lowering of the center of gravity to a position freeing the work from obstruction. Consequently, the workman without the use of power means can easily move the head H to a non-obstructing position and as readily return it to operative position.

lli/'hat I claim as my invention is:

l. The combination with opposed members, a ram mounted on one of said members movable towards the other, and obliquely crossing links pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the respective members at spaced points and together adapted to receive the stress incident to the impact of the ram, said links permitting the swinging and simultaneous rotation about a horizontal axis of one of said members with respect to the other member.

2. The combination with a member having a ram mounted thereon and an opposed member for receiving the impact of said ram, of connecting means between said members comprising obliquely crossing links pivotally attached at their opposite ends to the respective members at spaced points and together adapted to receive the stress incident to the impact of the ram, said links permitting of the swinging of one of said members laterally with respect to the other member and simultaneously rotating the aforesaid member about a horizontal axis.

3. The combination with a base, a ram mounted on said base to move upward therefrom, a head above said ram and obliquely crossing links pivotally connected to said base and said head at spaced points and together adapted to receive the stress incident to the impact of the ram, whereby said head will receive the impact of said ram when in registration therewith and may be simultaneously moved laterally and rotated to clear the ram.

4. The combination with a base, a iiuid operated ram mounted thereon to move upward therefrom, a head above said ram, obliquely crossing links pivoted at their lower ends to said base and at their upper ends to said head at spaced points toA hold the latter in registration with the ram by gravity, said links together being adapted to receive the stress incident to the impact of the ram and permitting of the swinging of said head laterally with respect to said ram and simultaneously rotating it about a horizontal axis.

5. In a molding machine, the combination with a base, a fluid operated ram mounted on said base, a support on said ram for a cope pattern and a mold flasky a head above said ram for holding a drag pattern, obliquely crossing links pivotally connected at their lower ends to said base and at their upper ends to said head at spaced points, said links together receiving the stress incident to the impact of the ram on opposite sides thereof, cooperating guides on said ram and said head for holding said cope and drag patterns in exact registration during the upward movement of the ram, said links permitting when said guides are disengaged the swinging of said head laterally to clear the ram and to simultaneously rotate the head upon a horizontal axis.

6. In a molding machine, the combination with a base, of a fluid operated ram mounted thereon, a support on said ram for a cope pattern and a mold flask, a head above said ram forming a support for a drag pattern, pairs of diagonally crossing links pivotally attached at their lower ends to said base passing upward on opposite sides of said flask and pivotally connected at their upper ends with said head at spaced points being together adapted to receive the stress incident to the impact of the ram, said head being held by gravity in a position for substantial registration of said cope and drag patterns, and cooperating guides on said ram and head engageable during the upward movement of the ram to hold said cope and drag patterns in exact registration, said links permitting of swinging said head laterally when said guides are disengaged and simultaneously rotating said head about a horizontal axis.

JOHN A. RATHBONE. 

